Method of producing combustible gases.



H. SIRACHE. METHOD 0F PIDUCING COMBUSTIBLE GASES,

APPLICATION FILED FEB. l2, 1915. LTQA5 mme@ sepa 21, 1915;

i HUGO STRACHE, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

METHOD 0F PRODUCING COMBUSTIBLE GASES.`

risaass.

Application filed February 12, 1915. Serial No. 7,756.

To all 107mm. it lmay concern:

Be it known that I, Dr. HUGO S'1n.\cun. a subject of the ,Ihnperor of- Austria-Hungary, and a resident of VI rlheobaldgasse l5, Vienna, in the Empire of` Austria-Hungary, have invented an Improved Method for Producing Combustible Gases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention.

In the hitherto known methods of producing water gas and coal gas in one and the same apparatus, comprising a producer, bearinga retort in its yupper part, the coal gas produced in ythe upper part of the producer by hot blasting the lower part thereof, is obtained by a suitable adjusting of the closure members provided on the h'ot blast piping, discharge conduit and gas discharge conduit, the pressure between the exhaust gases and the coal gas being balanced so that a circulation of the hot vblast gases upwardly into the retort and a circulation in a downward ldirection of the .coal gas produced in the retort,f-cannot take place. rlhis method has the drawback that with the slightest variation in pressure, a variation in the throttling must also take place which by nie-ans of an automatic controller can be efected in an imperfect manner only. i

The present invention relates to the production of producer' gas consisting` of a mixture of coal gas and water gas in such a manner that during the major porti-on ot' the duration of the hot blasting the gas discharge from the distilling chamber (retort) is completely shut oiffand the dimensions of the space remaining `free above the coal are selected in such a 'manner that the coal gas produced during the hot blasting operation, can accumulate therein. The coal gas is lighter than the hotblast gases :arbon monoxid, carbonic acid gas and nitrogen) and therefore accumulates in the upper part of the distilling chamber and would escape fromthe lower part of the chamber into the heating conduits if the chamber and the space above it were filled only completely with coal gas. If the dimensions of these spaces are suliciently large `an escape of coal gas is avoided. During the ensuing f period of production of water gas, the coal gas accumulated in the chamber is forced into the systeiii by the coming lcurrent of water gas and is thus obtained. When commencing hot blasting again, the chamber and the free space above it, are filled with Specification of Letters Patent.

.ducer the same bei Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

a mixture of coal gas and water gas. In order to obtain this mixture as well the gas exhaust valve in the upper chamber is left open during the vfirst moment of the hot blasting, and is closed when the valuable mixture of coal gas and water gas is forced from the chamber by the hot blast. During the subsequent period of hot blasting; the gases of the latter are again forced out by the coal gas when -the said valve is closed, as previously explained, and the cycle begins once more.

The drawing sl ows by way of example, the application of this method to a gas pro- 'pg represented in vertical sectional elevation f The producer is provided with a distilling chamber or retort l located in the upper part thereof and extending into a head 14 the -r discharge tube lo of which is provided with a valve 1G and leads to the receptacle El. The lower portion l of the producer is filled with coke 'and in the distilling chamber l, located above, coal is located. An air blowing pipe is arranged at the lower end of the producer and provided with a valve 7. By blowingair through the pipe (3 underneath the grate 5, the column of coke is heated until it glows, the produced carbon monoxid is burned by blowing additional air through the pipe 8 which is provided with a valve t) and leads to an annular channel S provided with slots 8". gases surround the distilling chamber 1 and escape from the space 13 through the pipe. l() and thc open valve 10 to the chimney.

ll is a steam-pipe and l2 are covers for the openings arranged at the lower end of the gas producer for the purpose of withdrawing the coke.

Above the coal, there is a free space 2 which is gradually filled with the distillation products which drive the heavier combustion gases lying in the interstices between the coal in a downward direction s0 that the same also escape .from the lower part of the distilling chamber l to the heating conduits. The dimensions of the free space above the coal and the dimensions of the distilling chamber are selected in such a manner that during the duration of the hot blasting, these chambers are filled Witheoal gas. The gas outlet valve 16 is closed during this period of hot blasting. Subsequently' the draft inlet valve 7 in the pipe 6 and the air valve 9 are .closed and stalii is` admit- 'lhe combustionthus with a continuous gasification of the.v

`distillation gases (coal gas).

ted through thepipe 11. The chimney valve 10a 'is also closed and the gas outlet valve 16 opened. The water gas produced in the lower part of the producer. passes through the distilling chamber and therefore displaces the distillation gases accumulated herein, which escape through the valve 1G and the receptacle 3 into the system. During this time, the distillation ot the coal continues as it is still heated by the hot- Water gas. In the distilling chamber 1 and in the space 2 above the coal, there is, at the end of the gas period, a mixture of water gas and When hotblasting again, the chimney valve 10a and the draft inlet valves '7 and 9 are opened. The gas outlet valve 1 6 however still remains open until the Water gas and the distillation gases are displaced from the distillingchamber and from the space 2. This is ascertained by a test iame which is provided at 17 which goes out as soon as the combustion gases leave the chamber. At this m0- rnent, the valve 416 is closed so that the space 2 and the distilling chamber are filled again with fresh distillation gases, as explainedl hereinbefore in connection with the first hotblasting. It is'possible in this manner to obtain the distillation products of coal and the ,water gas Without the use of the mechanical devices s uch as regulators or the like, and

coal a valuable -gas (Dowson gas) is obtained.v It is obvious that the dimensions of the space 2 above the coal must be selected in accordance with the actual conditions, that is to say with the capacity of the retort 1, with the nature of the coal and with the duration of he blasting, in such a manner as to avoid esc pe of the coal gas formed during hot blasting tothe chimney.

Having now described my invention what I claim and desire to secure/,by Letters Patent is: l

1. A method of producing a gas composed of distillation gases and Water gas, consisting in consecutively producing coal distillation gases by hot blasting coal contained in 'a distilling chamber arranged in the generator, accumulating said distilling gases in the distilling chamber, forming water gas by steam blasting and displacing the said distillation gases by the water gas which is dis- 'placed by. the combustion gases of the following hot blasting operation, substantially as described. r

2. A method of producing al gas composed of distillation gases and water gas, said method consisting in producing coal distillation gases by hot blasting coal contained in a distilling chamber arranged in the generator. accumulating said distilling gases in the distilling chamber while t'begas outlet valve from said chamber is closed, forming then water gas by steam blasting and displacing lthe said distillation gases by the water gas formed into the gas outlet piping which is at the time open and which during the following hot blasting operation is held open until the producer gas still contained in the distilling chamber is displaced by the combustion gases, substantially as described vand Aforthe purpose set forth.

A method of producing a gas composedA of distillation gases and water gas, said method consisting in producing coal distillation gases by hot blasting coal contained in a distilling chamber arranged in the upper part of the generator, accumulating said distilling gases 1n the distilling chamber Land in a free space of suitable dimensions arranged above the same While the gas outlet valve from said chamber and space is closed, opening the gas outlet valve and forming then water gas byI steam blasting, driving i driving the mixed gases out of the said chamber with the succeeding hot blast, until ipe will no longer burn.

5. yA method of producing gas, Which'consists in consecutively producing coal distillation gases by hot blasting, and in forming Water gas by steam blasting, and in displacing the mixed gases by the succeeding het blasting, until a test flame in connection with the discharging gas no longer burns. .l

In testimony whereof Ilhave signedy my name to this specification vin the presence of two subscribing Witnesses'.v

Prior. DR. HUGO STRACHE. Witnesses: y

ALBIN SCHiLLER, AUGUST FUGGER.

a test afne in connection with the discharge 

